New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday broke her silence on documents alleging that she helped former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi get permit to stay in the United Kingdom. Vasundhara said she is "unaware of the documents".
Vasundhara said, "I know Lalit Modi's family and I have never denied it. I don't know what documents are being referred to."
Sources said Vasundhara clarified to Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that she never filed a statement in favour of Lalit Modi.
The documents released by Modi's lawyer claimed that Vasundhara allegedly supported Modi's immigration plea when she was Leader of the Opposition in 2011. The documents claimed that Vasundhara gave her testimony supporting Modi on the condition that it will not be revealed to Indian authorities.
The three-page document read, "I make this statement with support of any immigration/application that Lalit Modi makes. But do so on the strict condition that my assistance will not become known to the Indian authority."
CNN-IBN cannot verify the document and it looks incomplete too. The papers do not have Vasundhara Raje's signature.
It was also revealed that Vasundhara Raje government signed an Memorandum of Understanding with the Portugal hospital where Modi's wife was treated. The government signed an MoU with Lisbon-based Champalimaud Foundation and it was done in the presence of the Chief Minister.
The MoU was signed on October 2, 2014, two months after Modi's wife underwent treatment for cancer. The state government has allotted 35,000 square feet of land to the Portugal hospital.
The BJP has been in a tight spot after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj admitted that she had no objection to Modi's request to be allowed to travel out of UK and spoke to this effect with British MP Keith Vaz and the British High Commissioner. Sushma clarified that she had intervened on humanitarian grounds as Modi's wife needed treatment in Portugal.
Senior CPM leader Brinda Karat hit out at Vasundhara saying, "The message that goes to rest of the world is that the Indian leaders can go to any extend to protect their friends."
With the opposition going all out to attack the NDA government, the Congress claimed that it was not just about travel papers, but about the protection being given to "a criminal" by the NDA government.
Dismissing Swaraj's claim that her act was driven on humanitarian grounds, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said that the "humanitarian cause" point was a "false tear jerker".
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